1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to managing vehicle glass dimming, and in particular, to a computer implemented method for dynamically changing transparency of portions of a vehicle transparent material in response to external light sources.
2. Description of Related Art
Various types of technologies exist for tinting, dimming or otherwise changing the transparency of transparent materials on demand such as glass, thereby controlling the amount of light and heat transmitted through the transparent material. These technologies are generally referred to as smart glass or switchable glass and are utilized in a variety of settings and for various purposes. These technologies may be utilized by a variety of vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, airplanes and trains and may be utilized in windows, skylights and mirrors. The dimming may be utilized for purposes of privacy, security, comfort, etc.
There are several technologies utilized for dimming glass on demand including electrochromic devices, suspended particle devices, micro-blinds, and liquid crystal devices. Most of these technologies utilize the application of an electric field through a transparent material such as glass for dimming. Each of these technologies has different advantages and disadvantages depending on the application. For example, electrochromic devices may switch slowly, but do not require a continuous application of an electric field to maintain a dimmed or a transparent state.
A variety of technologies exist for detecting faces and eyes of people. Facial recognition technology generally starts with identifying a person's face, then locating various portions of the face including the eyes for determining that person's biometrics. Some modern digital cameras will detect faces and eyes for improving portraits and reducing red-eye when a flash is used.